With more Americans dying in car crashes than at any point since the 1970s, can robotaxis make cities safe for micromobility? Edward Niedermeyer talks to @Waymo about how AVs can help eliminate the dangers of human driving, at Micromobility America 2024.

Highlights

🚗 The panel discusses the progress and ongoing evolution of road sharing in San Francisco, noting the city's move towards being more cyclist-friendly.

👥 The guests all share their individual experiences as cyclists around San Francisco, highlighting the importance of infrastructure and social norms for cyclist safety.

🌆 Each panelist emphasizes the variability of driving conditions between different cities, such as the contrast between Phoenix's car-centric suburbs and San Francisco's diverse road users.  

💻 Team members from Waymo explain their roles in automating driving tasks that we often do subconsciously, such as perceiving our surroundings and planning our route.

🤖 Edward Niedermeyer notes that robots are not entitled to anything. Instead, autonomous vehicles must respect human needs and find their space in society.

🚙 The discussion addresses the shift from Waymo operating primarily in Phoenix to its activities in San Francisco, while noting their strong track record so far.

🚴♂️ The panelists stress the need for autonomous vehicles to have hyper-awareness of their surroundings, particularly in relation to vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians.